Coming Home
by SublimeEchos
Summary: Just a short story set nearly four months after the end of Runaway in Alex's p.o.v. (Chapter 1) Karai has taken Alex under her wing, but she still struggles to recall her memories after what happened during the invasion. Turtles catch wind the invasion is over and make the journey back home, but what's left of the city. Rated T for very brief language.
1. Chapter 1

**_Hold up..._If you haven't read Runaway yet you should probably read that, or at least the last few chapters to get a feel for what's going on.**

**If you have read Runaway, enjoy.(:**

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><p>"Alex! Come on just jump!"<p>

I took a few steps back and hurled myself over the rooftop. The cool rush of air would've felt nice on my face if it hadn't been for my still aching body protesting my movement any way it could. I landed hard on one leg and rolled over on one side gasping for air. My heart was beating faster than it should've and I wanted to throw up. I hadn't done anything like that in months, and protested at the first word of training.

"Five more to go!" Karai said to me, smirking.

"Is this training or torture!" I choked out still breathing hard from my adrenaline rush. Karai just looked down at me, half chuckling and reached out a hand to help me up.

"You're right, maybe we should start with something a little more basic." She had that look on her face again. _Oh no_ I thought. She unsheathed her tanto, and I quickly lifted myself up on two legs. She smirked and came at me sword drawn back ready to attack. I took out my bo-staff from it's secure holder on my back and flicked it quickly to the side extending it to it's full length. I caught her small sword in the wood of the staff and pushed back at her as hard as I could. I managed to get her to slide back a bit and I swung at her with the staff only to connect with the metal of her tanto once again. I backed off allowing her to have the upper hand and shot her a quick grin before turning invisible to hide among the shadows.

I watched as the smirk only grew bigger on her face. "Too scared to face me Al?" She said in a mocking tone. I walked in the shadows behind her as she stood attentive ready for any attack.

"Just using my resources to my advantage, just like you told me." I small grin grew on my face and she darted around scanning for any sign of me.

"That's okay I love a good challenge."

"Then you're really gonna love this." I said as I unleashed a ball of water at her from my palm. She quickly sliced through it causing it to disperse and lunged at me, still guessing to were I was.

"Nice try." I said laughing at her as I ducked out of the way. I drew my staff back to swing at her and connected with her tanto. She smiled "Gotcha." She said lowering her sword and putting it back in it's place. "Let's go home, I'm starved."

"Ugh me too." I said coming back into visibility as I fell in step behind her and we climbed down the fire escape. Before we reached the midway steps I paused to look back to the rooftops, I felt like someone had been watching me. When I looked back I only caught a quick glimpse of a figure darting behind a billboard.

"Karai." I said grabbing her shoulder to stop her. "I think someone was watching us."

She looked curiously to the roofs, then her face twisted into a grin. "Don't worry about him, harmless." She said and then she grabbed my arm and quickly pulled me down the rest of the escape with her. I stopped her once again when we reached the alleyway.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" I said trying to stare through the back of her head.

She slowly turned to face me, grin now gone from her face, she had put on a serious front. "It's not what I'm not telling you, it's what you have to find out on your own." And just like that she started for the abandoned hospital that had become a home to me the past few months. I jogged to keep up with her, starting to feel annoyance bubble up inside of me.

"What's that supposed to mean!" I said to her in a hushed yell.

She shot me an annoyed look and continued on until we both got to the doorways of the hospital. "Karai!" I said grabbing her wrist before she could push the door open.

"Look, Alex, just forgt you saw anything. It's nothing, just an old friend of mine."

"An old friend that likes to watch you from afar? Creepy much?"

"You don't understand."

"That you have a creepy secret admirer that likes to watch you at night on the rooftops, I understand that clearly." This conversation was almost laughable but Karai had set up a stone wall between us. "He can't show himself Alex."

"Why not? Is he hideously deformed or something?"

"Something."

_Something..._that was all I got before the door slid closed in front of me and she was gone. I entered the lobby of the hospital but she was nowhere to be found, I was only now surrounded by fellow members of the foot. I walked to the cafeteria, half expecting to see her but she was too quick. She must've already gotten her food and went up to her room not to be bothered. I walked over to the forming line and picked up a tray and gave silent smiles to the people slopping the food onto my tray.

Hamburger with peas...again.

I sat down at an empty table and started picking at the peas, some were still frozen I just silently laughed to myself.

"What's wrong too good for our food?" Came a sarcastic male voice from behind me, he continued to sit down next to me chewing at his burger. Luckily it was a familiar face.

"The food here is whack, three days in a row of eating half frozen peas."

"I hear ya." He said chuckling. "So how was training with high and mighty."

He was talking about Karai, I gave him a half grin. "Talon, seriously? Look at this." I rolled up the sleeve of my shirt to expose a nasty bruise. "It's a bruise on a bruise, and today she made me almost jump to my death. I think she's trying to kill me actually."

"She's trying to kill us all with this disgusting excuse for food." He said throwing his burger down on his tray.

I laughed half choking on one of the frozen peas. Talon had become my best friend, even if he was a few years older than me we connected instantly. He was the first person I saw when I woke up from the invasion, since that day he has been checking up on me all the time, making sure I'm okay. He's been in training to become one of the foots doctors. He's tall, around six foot and he has dirty blonde hair with piercing blue eyes. The blue eyes tug at a foreign memory I haven't unlocked yet. Memory of a friend, a best friend. Someone who I trusted and loved.

"But...look what I have." He said dangling a key in front of my face. It was the key to he rooftop door. Karai always kept it locked in fear of an attack from the kraang even though the majority of their kind had been wiped out by the u.s navy.

"This could get you in big trouble." I said trying to hold back the huge grin on my face.

"Yeah but I figured since you're like a princess around here you could convince our fearless leader to show me some mercy."

"Is that was people think of me as?" I said letting out a small laugh.

"Well Karai is like a dictating queen, so that must make you second in command since she takes onto you like you're her little sister." He said putting emphasis on the word dictating.

"Alright Dr. T, lets go" I said smirking at him, a smirk which he returned back to me.

It must've taken us ten minutes to climb the stairs since the elevators were out but we finally made it. With a click I heard the door unlock and Talon pushed it open. It was starting to get warmer out, but it was still mid April. It was always raining, and the humidity was out of control, luckily I had my hair tucked up into a bun keeping it from frizzing. The sun was just setting and it looked beautiful as it outlined the city in gorgeous hues of gold and orange.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Talon said leaning over the raised edge of the rooftop. I joined him, watching the sun dip down farther and farther as the night drew on. "It's gorgeous." I said letting out a sigh.

"Sometimes I come up here to try and forget about all this madness." He paused and I looked at him curiously. "The kraang might be gone but what they did still shows, I remember when they first brought you in the night the invasion had started I almost threw up at how mangled your body was." he chuckled.

"Thanks, I'm glad the sight of me makes your stomach churn." I smirked

He sighed and looked back out over the city that was now falling to darkness, street lamps were starting to turn on now. "Alex, to be honest I didn't really expect you to make it, I thought I'd have to watch you die under my hand." Another pause, I kept my gaze on a flickering street lamp below. "Then one day I walked in and you were sitting up on the bench just looking at me. You scared the shit out of me!"

I laughed, he could be so overdramatic, but I loved his stories so I didn't interrupt. Besides, hearing these things about myself only helped my memories.

"You're some kind of miracle, you know that right? Are you even human?" He looked at my quizzically and half smile on his face. This of course was a joke, he always joked about me not being human due to my special gifts of invisibility and influence over the elements. I had told him everything, everything that I had remembered and he always listened, always was that shoulder to lean on. Like an older brother almost.

"I don't know, am I Talon?" I mocked him. We sat on the rooftops until the sun was no longer in the sky, instead replaced by the moon.

"I should have you both locked up for a week." Came an all too familiar voice from behind. I turned quickly on my heels startled, and faced the queen on the clan.

"Chill Kar, we were just getting some fresh air." Talon said, brushing off the harsh tone of her voice.

"Don't call me that!" She barked.

"Yes your, highness." he said as he half bowed down to her, she looked at him in disgust as I tried to hold in a laugh.

"Talon, you have patients to attend to, and Alex, you should be in bed." She said glaring at me. She never approved of my relationship with Talon, always said it was dangerous to get close to people because one day they might not be there anymore.

We both sulked down the stairs with Karai right behind us. We got to the patients wing first and Talon departed through the door giving us a salute before turning to go, I just let out a hushed laugh at him and mockingly saluted him back, ticking Karai off even more.

"And then there were two." I whispered to myself as I trailed behind Karai to the sleeping quarters, where everyone's rooms were. She just chuckled.

When we got to my room, I sat down on my bed as she sat across from me in a swivel chair. She spun once in a circle before locking her eyes on me, "Ready?" She asked. This game had become our nightly routine before I went to sleep. It was a memory game, intended to help me get parts of my memories back.

"Ready as I'll ever be." I sighed.

"Casey Jones."

"Ahh yes, vigilante extraordinaire" I said in a British accent.

She just glared at me.

"Okay fine. Casey Jones is the color black, he's my age and we were friends. We met on a rooftop after I saved his little sister, We always used to skate together at the hockey rink and he taught me how to play hockey."

I always associated people I once knew with colors, It was easier for me to connect them to memories that way.

"Anything else? Who were his best friends, what did he like?" She questioned leaning closer to me.

I smiled at the memories that rushed back to me of a tall dark haired boy skating around swinging his hockey sticks at me. "He likes smashing things, especially kraang. He thinks of himself as a vigilante and his best friend..."

"His best friend is?" Karai looked at me with a glimmer of hope.

My head started to pound as red flooded my mind. "All I see is red. That's Raphael right?"

"Right." She said looking at me wondering what was going through my mind right now. She knew things I had yet to discover and it was killing her watching me not know any of it. At least I was making some progress. I had obtained the full memory of April O'Neil just last month. There were four others I had yet to remember while their memories flashed through my head every night. The memories were just colors though, never any images of these four, just things associated with them.

Purple was Donatello, I just recently recalled that he liked to be called Donnie. He was a science geek, his memory splurged out countless images of microscopes and test tubes, a giant lab full of tech stuff and metal pieces to an eventual invention. He was one of four, the easiest to remember because I knew he was tied to April somehow. Purple flooded my sight whenever I closed my eyes when I tried to remember April, so I just associated her with that color also.

Orange was my favorite to recall. Michelangelo. He was young, younger than me and I know he was the first out of the four to meet me. His memory brought images of pizza, a skateboard and even video games. One video game in particular, Zombie apocalypse III. He was funny and an overall goofball, but he could be understanding and mostly sweet. Although I cherished the sheer images associated with him, there were not that many and his presence in my mind only lasted mere seconds.

"Lets do blue tonight also." Karai said dragging me out of my train of thought.

I huffed in protest. "We just did black and my head is already starting to pound."

"Come on, you have to get your memories back Alex, these people...they really mean a lot to you and I need you to remember them."

"If they meant that much to me why haven't I seen any of them?" I shot back at her.

"Blue." She said leaning back in the chair watching me through solid eyes.

"Blue is Leonardo." I saw a flash of something in her eyes but before I could acknowledge it out loud it was gone. "He is caring, and kind, and a leader. Older than me by a year but we were still good friends, best friends even." I sighed and rested my chin in the palm on my hand. "His memory brings back images of watching space heroes and twin katanas."

"Good fighter?" She asked narrowing her eyes.

"Great fighter, better than any of his brothers..."

Karai suddenly leaned in closer to me, quickly enough for er to almost stumble out of her chain. "Repeat what you just said!"

"He was a great fighter?"

"No the other part."

"That he was better than his brothers? Why?"

"You remembered the four are brothers!" She said jumping up from the chair and landing beside me on the bed. "Alex you're getting better at this." She said grinning holing onto my shoulder. It was true, I had never mentioned they were all brothers before. It shocked me how easily that memory came, maybe they'll all be that easy.

Sudden pain shot through my head making me grab at my temple and take a deep breath.

"Maybe that's enough for tonight." Karai said getting up from the bed. "You're doing really good Al."

As she turned of my lights I watched the faint glow of the street lamps below creep into the window. "Night Karai."

"Night."

Then it was just me, alone to my thoughts at last. I was so drained form today I felt like my body was about to give up on me. I rolled onto my stomach to look out the window, the moon and lamps did a good job of illuminating the city, even in darkness. Before I drifted off into sleep I happened to glance out the window to the rooftops. There I saw the faint outline of a person, just standing on the roof looking over the city. I couldn't see who it was from the limited lighting but my mind told me it was just a foot solider on nightly patrol. I knew better than that though, memories pushed to break free at the back of my mind but my body decided against it and I fell asleep almost instantly, knowing I'd have a chance to try and remember again tomorrow.

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><p><em><strong>AN: This little blurb takes place a few months after the invasion, the kraang have been mostly destroyed by our fearless navy, and Alex is healing. Karai has taken in Alex to be a member of the foot clan. No sign of Shredder because I decided he wouldn't really fit into the plot well so you can make up what happened to him on your own, because I'm not the 'Let's kill off characters' type, we'll just say he went back to Japan to stay there and attend to other business. So here we are about four months later give or take and Alex has been healing up trying to re-gain her memories, Karai has taken her under her wing as a little sister (Yes Karai is older by a year, just like Leo.) Karai is also now in command of the clan and lets forget she ever found out who her real father was. In fact throw out any plot you know about tmnt because this story is NOT going to follow it. I'll take little pieces of the original but it's not going to follow exact movie/ cartoon line at all. Blah, Blah, blah... so Alex is trying desperately to remember past events and people, but don't worry she'll get there one day. The whole purpose of this short story is to give you a mid point, something to think about before the actual sequel begins. This is essentially for detail and for the people who want to know exactly what's happened in Alex's life so far. **_

_**Thank you, and Good night. ;)**_


	2. Chapter 2 : Turtles journey home

**Three months after the Kraang invasion.**

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><p>Leo paced back and forth in front of the television while Master Splinter stroked his chin. Could it really be happening? Had the Kraang really been defeated by the Navy...<p>

Just a few moments ago a breaking news segment had taken over the screen announcing that the city had been taken back. Kraang still roamed around but the majority had been wiped out, metal body parts were left to rust in the streets along with any citizens who had been caught in the rang of fire. Bodies plagued alleyways, and blood spattered streets filled the screen causing Splinter to close his eyes and let out a small sigh.

No one could've known the kraang were capable of doing so much damage.

As the horrific after math images filled the screen, Mikey bounded down the stairs to start breakfast for the family. As he turned to se what was on the TV Leo quickly hit the power button and the screen went blank. Mikey had never seen such graphic images before, and there was no need for him to see them now, especially when the images were coming from their former home.

"What was that all about?" The youngest asked placing his hands on his hips.

Leo looked to Splinter who gave him a small nod. "Go wake everyone up Mikey, we have some news."

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><p>It was a Saturday morning, everyone should've been asleep, the only ones who ever got up early on weekends were Splinter and Leo. April yawned, stretching her arms out wide almost punching Raph in the face, who in turn shoved her to the side to get to the fridge. Don shot him a glare as he fumbled with the coffee machine. Leo shook his head, if there was a surprise attack at this very moment, they'd all be dead.<p>

As everyone took their seats at the table, Leo stood behind Splinters chair waiting for everyone to quiet down.

"So what's this news you have for us?" Donnie spoke first looking to his brother. All eyes fell on Leo and the table became silent.

"Well, Sensei and I were watching TV this morning and the news came on."

"You mean to tell me that you woke us all up to tell us you were watching tv. Fantastic." Raph pushed his chair out to get up. "I'll be in my room."

In a flash Splinter was behind Raphael with his jade cane pressed into his chest. "You will listen to what your brother has to say Raphael."

Mumbling under his breath Raph sat down and eyed Leo. "You may continue my son." Splinter said sitting back in his chair.

"Anyways, the news reported said that the city was taken back...the invasions over." Leo let out a sigh, everyone was silent as they looked around at each other.

"SO, What does this mean now?" Casey said breaking the silence.

"It means we get to go home now, right Sensei?" Mikey said, unaware that the city was not the same as it was when they left. Three months can be a long time, buildings had been abandoned, some falling to the ground. No one could even guess what became of the sewers.

"Mikey, we don't even know if we still have a home." Donnie said putting his head in his hands.

"There's only one way to find out." April said. "We would've had to go back regardless, now there's little to no danger and we can always find a new home."

Silence. No one knew what to say. Finally Mikey spoke up. "I agree with April, it's time to go home guys."

Although the farmhouse had become an acceptable temporary home for the family, nostalgia was taking over. Over sixteen years the sewers had become a home for the turtles and Splinter. It was hard just to forget it.

"If you guys wont go I'll take the van and go by myself, anyone who wants to go can come." April said getting up from her chair.

"If Aprils going I'm going." Donnie said raising from his chair to join at her side along with Mikey.

"It couldn't hurt to go back, even though I really dig this place Red." Casey said kicking his feet up on the table, a gesture which April quickly dismissed.

"If you are all wiling to return to our homes, then I will join you." Splinter said rising from his chair. And if Splinter was going, Leo was going, there was no doubt about that.

"Well are you in Raph?" Said Leo. He was the only one left at the table, the family could not be complete without him, and refused to let him stay at the farmhouse on his own. No one else in the family could understand why He wouldn't move from his chair or ay anything. He had a blank stare on his face and kept his head in his hands. Leonardo knew thought. the city is where one of them was left behind, a grudge was forever placed on Leo for this, but they were going to face it one way or another, whether it be right now or fifty years down the road. The thing is Raphael had become accustomed to life on the farmhouse, going back meant facing reality, the reality that she was gone. Heck she might even be in the same place they left her, bones starting to show through her skin.

A small delicate hand was placed on his shoulder, as red hair brushed up against his cheek. He closed his eyes as the memory of Alex's touch flooded his mind. "You need to do this Raph, she would want this." April whispered into his ear. He took a moment to process what she said and slowly nodded in approval.

"It's set then, we leave in one week." Leo said smiling down at his brother.

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><p><span><strong>One week<strong> **later**

Mikey paced at the bottom of the stairs waiting for his family to join him. Today was the day they would journey back home, it was exhilarating, yet horrifying at the same time. What had become of the sewers, or April and Casey's apartments? They'd find out soon enough.

Leo had been helping Master Splinter pack up some things around the house like all their food and whatever they had managed to bring with them when they fled the city. A single duffel bag sat at the foot of the stairs full of everything the two had packed.

Leo had almost walked out of his room before something shined in his eyes. He squinted and turned to see what it was. There, leaning up against the wall was the sword. It hadn't moved from that spot for almost four months now and Leo debated whether he should even bother brining it with him. It would only serve as a remembrance, but then again, maybe that's what everyone needed. In one swift movement he wrapped the sword up in some cloth praying Raphael wouldn't happen to come across it. He then joined Mikey at the bottom of the stairs, who had a giant grin on his face, and slid the long sword into the duffel bag.

A minute behind Leo came Donnie and Casey, without a word they slipped out the door mumbling something about gassing up the van. Trailing behind them with an armful of blankets was April, she could barely see over the mountain of cloth in her hands. Seeing this Mikey bounded up the stairs and took half the blankets. Leo looked at her warily.

"We might need them Leo." She said setting her pile down next to the duffel bag. Leo just shook his head.

"My sons, when you are ready, meet us outside." Splinter said as he exited the door behind April. The only one they were waiting on was Raphael.

Raphael sat in his room on the bed cradling his head in his hands. He was fine last night, why was this hitting him just now, the very moment when he needed to be strong. Images of a small delicate body being crushed under rubble from the falling building above plagued his mind. He remembered her, every thing about this girl he loved and he'd never known how cruel life could be. Until now, when his family was dragging him back to the very place he had nightmares about almost every night.

He heard his name being called through the door from the first floor and he quickly wiped a stray tear away from his eye before lifting himself off of his bed.

"Coming." He said as he gave his room one last look and bounded down the stairs.

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><p>The ride to the city was long, long and brutal. Everyone was cramped in the van and every so often Mikey passed gas making everyone groan and complain, rolling the windows down to let in the cool April breeze and let out the smell of Mikey's farts. Every hour someone would ask if they were close yet and the answer was always the same, until they drove passed a few small piles of the remains of mostly kraang droids, yet some looked awfully human. That's when the answer was clear, they had reached the outskirts of the city.<p>

Luckily the bridge back into the city was still in tact, and the side of the bridge entering the city was completely empty while the other side was filled with abandoned cars and busses. Casey, the driver made his way over the bridge only to be stopped on the other side by a fallen building. Everyone groaned as they exited the car, now having to walk. Leo and Donnie stayed ahead of the pack scouting out safe territory where the buildings looked sturdy enough to walk under. They carefully stepped over kraang parts and rubble looking for any sign of hope.

"Guys! Over here." April said walking into an alleyway. When the family followed her they realized she was standing on a manhole.

The walk through the sewers was familiar, familiar enough for everyone to calm down a bit and relax. After hours of walking though, some became agitated, where others were simply glad to be home. It seemed like it took eons to find their way back to the lair, it was in shambles. The ceiling had caved in and there were cracks all through the cement. Now they had to find yet another home. Leo decided to set up a base at the old lair and have everyone split up to go in different directions. If they couldn't find anything they'd have to sleep here tonight.

After everyone left, Leo climbed up the nearest manhole and did something he always used to do, head right for the rooftops. Once on the roofs he began to run, jumping from roof to roof in glee. It felt amazing to be back even if the city wasn't the same. All too quickly his reign of joy ended when he found himself starring out over the city. It was dull, duller than it used to be and sides of buildings were missing. He couldn't even tell what was lying in the streets below but it stank. Blood spattered walls of alleyways and shop windows and whatever was left of the stores had been looted.

It was almost as if he city had been abandodned.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement. He unsheathed his katanas and headed to where he saw the movement. he assumed it was just a wandering droid but when he approached the source of movement he heard talking, and laughing. He quickly hid behind a billboard and slowly peered around its corner.

There on the rooftop across from him were two foot soldiers engaged in a spar, one with a tanto, on with a bo-staff. He moved more out in the open to watch them and when he looked back the second foot solider was gone and the one left behind seemed to be talking to herself. When the soldier turned in Leo's direction they made eye contact for a half second before He darted behind the billboard, He then realized the lone foot soldier was Karai. A pang of relief flooded him as he realized she was okay, and very much alive but he didn't dare engage her. Slowly he moved back out to look at the soldiers. Out of nowhere the other foot had appeared and they now were descending on the fire escape.

When he noticed they were leaving he made a mental note to pursue them until one of them turned around, her hood falling down in the process to reveal a long brown braid. The two made eye contact, and Leo was held in her gaze until he forced himself to dart behind the billboard once more. She seemed oddily familiar, yet he couldn't make sense of the odd gaze she had caught him in. Quickly he returned to the manhole he had emerged from and found his way back to his broken home.

When he returned home everyone had gathered in what was left of the old makeshift living room nightfall was approaching and everyone was getting sleepy.

"Nothing?" Leo asked.

"Nothing." Don replied yawing.

As Leo looked around he noticed someone was missing. "Where's Raphael?"

"It seems he had the same idea as you." Casey said sarcastically kicking his feet up on the coffee table

"What do you mean." Leo said walking over to the seated family.

"He went out." Casey said. "He needed some fresh air, I guess he forgot how awful these sewers really do stink." He chuckled before leaning his head back on the couch to fall asleep.

While everyone drifted to sleep all huddled up together, there was a glimmer of hope. There were many more sewer systems to explore and search for a home. Living in the city could still work, and if it didn't the option of the farmhouse was always there. the only thing they were missing was the eight member of their family, and April drifted to sleep smiling knowing that she was out there somewhere still breathing.

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><p><strong>I decided to add an extra chapter just to give the turtles point of view. Hope you like it! I've been working on Runaway's sequel so keep an eye out for that. As always leave reviews tell me what you think. Thanks for reading! :)<strong>


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